PROFILE niccicierensiiiinieieiien BREAKING BARRIERS PORK SIDE SPARERIBS Thawed fF your convenience .73 kg FRESH BEEF SAUSAGE Regular, With Onion or Dinner Sausage 4.37/kg HEAD LETTUCE U.S. Grown No 1. Grade Large Size From Concentrate. 1 Litre PEANUT BUTTER Empress. Creamy Smooth or Super Crunchy yp Regular Quali Works out to 9 Limit 1 "y. 5b. chub. 4.40 ea 2.16 kg Varieties. 2X14 mL or 2X 25 mL Reg., Mint, Gel or Tarter 100 mL. SAFEWAY MOUTHWASH Advertised prices In effect until closing Saturday, Jan. 9, 1993 at your neighbourhood Castlegar Safeway store. Quantity rights reserve: Some items may not be exactly as shown. Prices effective for personal shopping only. While supplies last. ,promoting an organ_donor TO ORGAN DONATION ow that gift giving is over for the season, there isyanother gift a person can give, but this gift can't be purchased_in any stores, and it won't be wrapped in ribbon and foil. The recipient of your gift will likely be a stranger to you, but you could be giving them the most precious gift they will ever receive. Your gift to them is a signed donor card, which will allow doctors to remove an and legally signifies their wish to donate an organ. Often during an emergency, a person's wallet or purse is not returned to the family or— next of kin until after the demise of the poten- tial donor, and therefore many people who had wished to become, donors have been over- looked, and thei wish is not fulfilled. By signing the donor cards.which The Mutua! Group provides, and having a relative aware of the potential donor's wishes Nielson also said many people can benefit from just one person donating their organs, aand_organ donation can often be a heahure toot which will help diminish the feeling of pain of loss upon.a death of someone close An example Nielsen gave was the tragic and untimely death of Olympic gold medal winner, Victor Davis, who was struck down in a hit and run accident at the age of 25 discussed with them. If the patient wishes to become a donor, Castlegar hospital makes available t@ them ‘a consent form for them to ‘sign.—Fwo-witnesses-must-also-sign the form: to make it legally binding. Castlegar and District Hospital Director of Nursing for Acute Care, Denise Reed, said that if the patient was not able to make a deci- sion to donate, then next of kin would then be asked to give consent to allow the patient's organ(s) from your body upon your death, and trans- plant those organs to a recipient, or several recipi- ents who for one reason or another, are in desperate Organ Donation Facts organ to be donated. “If the patient is not able to make that decision (to donate an organ), then the next of kin can give consent, but the patient must have indi- need of an organ. Fact: While 80 per cent of Canadians polled would donate some of their cated their desire to become a In an attempt to break down some of the barriers for people who wish to donate their organs upon death, The Mutual Group is Fact: . Program across Canada. The program is designed to donor to the next of kin prior own organs for transplant after they die, close to half have never to their passing away.” signed an organ donation card. Each year in Canada approximately 6,000 people die who could be | xeniect "Ps Transplant Pro- potential organ donors. If an organ is to be donated, the hospital would contact the Pacific Organ gram (P.O.R.T.). P.O.R.T. would then coordinate all pocourage Communication| Fact: In 1991, only about 400 donors provided organ/tissues for trans- sopocts OF the ongatt retrieval between the potential donor and their family, an impor- plantation. tant component in organ donating. Fact: As many as 25 tissues and organs can be transplanted from the organ Locally, Dale Nielsen, a Mutual Group employee, is human body. proud to be part of this inno- and dictate to the hospital spe- cific procedures which would be required to transport the Reed said there have been organ donors at Castle- gar Hospital in the past, vative program. Fact: One pérson’s decision to be an organ donor may benefit as Many aS _|although she is uncertain of “I’m proud to be part of an organization who would 10 people. spend the time, and make the the specific number of people who chose to donate in the Castlegar area. Donating an tao hing | Fact: The use of anti-rejection drugs has increased significantly the suc- organ is definitely a priceless like that.” ~ “We're helping to cut the ice. We hope that by both regularly. the donor and the next of kin cess rates of transplants and new breakthroughs are announced pity, sald ‘Eeed, and. she encourages people to consider becoming a donor. “If people wish to signing the donor card, that| Fact: More than 2,500 people in Canada are waiting for kidney transplants | donate an organ I certainly this would be enough of a catalyst to have conversation between the family about Nielsen also recommends that if a person wishes to donate an organ, they should at any given time. organ donation continued.” | Fact: Currently, 80 per cent of heart transplant patients return to an active, healthy lifestyle. support it. I think it is a won- derful program.” The message on the back of the organ donor con- sent card which is supplied by The Mutual Group is eloquent in it’s simplicity. discuss this desire with] Fact: Currently, organs which can be transplanted successfully are: kidney, It says: My signature friends and others within the on this card is my gift to comnautity. liver, heart, lung, heart-lung, pancreas, corneas, bones, and skin. someone whose last hope for “We encourage the poten- tial donor to talk v&ith their doctor or clergy about their wish to become an organ donor. The more people who are aware about your wish to become a donor, the better the chance that, upon a potential donors death, that wish would be carried out.” Currently, those in juals who wish to donate organs sign a card and apply a decal to their driver’s license. The card and the decal are supplied by the Motor Vehicles Branch, Story by or guardian also sign the card, this will ensure that someone besides the donor is aware of that persons wishes to donate an organ, or organs. Agents of The Mutual Group will be edu- cating people about donating organs, and will be distributing cards which potential donors may sign. The card allocates a space for the closet relative to sign, signifying that they are seven other individuals. It doesn’t make up for the loss, but it does help as part of the grieving process.” Ps At Castlegar and District Hospital, strict protocol is followed if a person is a potential donor, or wishes to become a donor If a patient is over 19, and their death is imminent, the possibility of donating organs is a prolonged life is an organ transplant. Please see ,_| wish is fulfilled by showing this card to the appropriate medical personnel. I have dis- cussed organ donation with my family and they support my decision to become an organ donor. If you would like to find out more about donating an organ you can phone The Mutual Group at 365-0668, or the Castlegar Bureau of Motor Vehicles Branch 365-3381, or call P.O.R.T. toll free at 1-800-663-6189. “It was a senseless loss, but it did benefit Above photos (Left): At the age of 25, Olympic gold medal winner Victor Davis was killed tragically in a hit and run accident. His father Mel, with the encouragement of long-time family friend Adair Hanna, con- sented to organ donation, and six people became organ recipients as a result Middle: Cal Murphy, 60, general manager of the Winnipeg Bluebombers, received a heart transplant and Right: Erin Crocker has been put on a waiting list for a heart and double lung transplant after being diag- Karen Kerkhoff a new chance at life nosed with congenital heart disease at the age of seven. Now, the future of this 11-year-old depends on the availability of a suitable donor.